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Richmond may lose Vickery, Thomas to bans

Ben McKay

Richmond are set to lose Ty Vickery and Matt Thomas for their clash against Fremantle on Saturday with the pair facing suspensions.

There was, however, better news for Lance Franklin on Monday when the AFL match review panel cleared the Sydney forward over a high bump.

Franklin's high contact on Gold Coast's Clay Cameron in the Swans' 35-point win on Sunday was deemed not to warrant further action and he'll be free to face top-of-the-table Port Adelaide on Saturday.

Hardest-hit from the panel's round-12 deliberations was crisis club Richmond, with Vickery facing a two-week ban for striking Michael Firrito in the first minute of the Tigers' loss to North Melbourne on Sunday.

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The act was regarded by the panel as intentional, medium impact and high contact, generating 325 demerit points and a three-match ban, which can be reduced to two weeks with an early guilty plea.

The evidence on Firrito's face - he played the rest of his side's comeback win with a black eye - would suggest he'd be wise to take the early plea.

Vickery was also given a $1800 fine for misconduct against Firrito.

Thomas was charged with rough conduct against Brent Harvey, with his carryover points from a previous indiscretion meaning he cannot escape suspension with an early plea.

Fremantle could be without Hayden Ballantyne after a bump charge was sent straight to a tribunal hearing.

The MRP declined to give Ballantyne an offer of a ban and the 26-year-old is weighed down with 87.5 carryover points.

The tribunal hearing on Tuesday night will consider whether Ballantyne will line up against the Tigers.

The MRP also gave Scott Thompson with a reprimand for striking Jack Riewoldt, with similar warnings to St Kilda's Tom Simpkin and Essendon's David Myers.